Bilingual Workers Are Seeking
More Pay; Many Are Getting It

SAN ANTONIO -- At the first hint of Spanish, Southwestern Bell directory-assistance operators in this heavily Hispanic city push a button to route callers to a bilingual operator like Maggie Morales.

Mrs. Morales says the system, instituted earlier this year, has made her job a lot tougher. Sifting through differences in language and culture means she can't always meet the company's goal of getting off the phone in 21 1/2 seconds or...